At $7,753,500, Fontaine Brothers, of Springfield, was low bidder and won the contract. Two other firms submitted bids: Souliere & Zepka, of Adams, $7,701,858; and W.J. Mountford Construction, of South Windsor, Conn., $7,730,000.

Library officials hope the new building is completed by fall 2014. Funding comes from town borrowing, a state grant and private donations. The total cost estimate is $10.1 million.

The current library was built in 1906 with a 1974 addition creating 8,800 square feet.

The original was built with funds from Andrew Carnegie.

"Residents wrote Carnegie a letter in his castle in Scotland. He responded, and gave $10,000 and it was built in 1906," South Hadley Library Director Joseph J. Rodio said in a telephone interview on Wednesday.

The brick structure that houses 50,000 volumes has parking for only seven vehicles.

The new building, to go up at 2 Canal St. on the corner of Main Street, will be fully handicap accessible and come with 62 parking spots, Rodio said.

In 2011 voters approved borrowing $4.2 million of bonds to be repaid in 20 years by raising taxes. The state library board also approved a $4.8 million grant.

To date the volunteer group Friends of South Hadley Public Library have raised $570,000, according to Rodio. He said the plan is to raise enough so that the town's share is actually reduced.

"Our goal is to have town pay closer to $3.5 million" instead of the $4.2 million, the librarian said.

Rodio said the new library "is an investment - if you let public buildings go, it reflects on a community's values. Voter approval [of the temporary tax increase] showed the community has an eye to the future."